Apple Officially Announces March 8 "Peek Performance" Event

Apple will hold its next online event on March 8, the company announced today with an invitation featuring the tagline "peek performance" and a multicoloured Apple logo that could hint at the colours of the new devices.

The company did not reveal any further details about what the virtual event will entail, beyond the time set for 1 pm ET / 10 am PT.

However, Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, who is usually a reliable source for Apple rumours, speculates that Apple could announce a low-cost iPhone SE. He suggests that the new device will come with 5G, a faster A15 CPU chip, and better cameras. However, it will share the same design as the current iPhone SE, which means the new SE may also retain Touch ID functionality.

Meanwhile, Gurman also theorizes that Apple will announce the latest version of the iPad Air. We expect the new tablet to arrive with a new CPU and 5G for cellular-equipped models. Apple, Gurman posits, could also roll out the new iOS 15.4 update, which would allow Face ID-equipped iPhones and iPads to be unlocked while wearing a face mask. Additionally, a universal control feature is expected to make its debut with the new update, which would mean users would be able to use a keyboard and mouse across multiple iPads and Macs.

Another Mac with Apple-designed chips is also rumoured to arrive in March, but that's not something we're likely to see at this particular event. We also won't see the new iPhone 14, AirPods, Apple Watch, MacBook Air, iMac, and Mac Pro desktop models rumoured to launch later in 2022.